1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electric connector used for electrical connection between devices equipped in an automobile, an industrial machine, and so on, and more specifically, to an electric connector including a retainer preventing a terminal from being released out of a housing into which the terminal was inserted. The invention relates further to a retainer used in the above-mentioned electric connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electric connector used for electrical connection between devices equipped in an automobile, for instance, is generally designed to include a double engagement structure for preventing a terminal from being released out of a housing after the terminal was inserted into the housing.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the electric connector suggested in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. H3(1991)-97875, and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the electric connector.
As illustrated in FIG. 10, a housing 40 includes a plurality of terminal spaces 41 into each of which a terminal 42 is inserted.
The housing 40 is formed at a sidewall thereof with three through-holes 43.
A retainer 44 includes a flat base 45, and three arms 46A, 46B and 46C extending from the base 44 in the same direction.
Each of the arms 46A, 46B and 46C is inserted into the through-hole 43 of the housing 40, and thus, as illustrated in FIG. 11, each of the arms 46A, 46B and 46C makes abutment with an engagement portion 47 of the terminal 42 in the housing 40 to thereby prevent the terminal 42 from being released out of the housing 40.
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the electric connector suggested in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11(1999)-16625, FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of the electric connector, and FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the retainer.
As illustrated in FIG. 12, a housing 60 includes a plurality of terminal spaces 61 into each of which a terminal 70 is inserted. The housing 60 is formed at a sidewall 62 thereof with a hole 63.
As illustrated in FIG. 14, a retainer 50 includes two flexible arms 53 each having an engagement projection 52 formed by making a cut-out 51 at a rear end thereof, and a hook 54 making abutment with the sidewall 62 of the housing 60.
As illustrated in FIG. 12, the retainer 50 is inserted into the hole 63 of the housing 60. Being inserted into the hole 63 of the housing 60, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the retainer 50 is engaged at the engagement projection 52 thereof with a projection 71 of the terminal 70. Thus, the terminal 70 is prevented from being released out of the housing 60.
The conventional electric connector illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 is accompanied with a problem that since the retainer 44 is simply inserted into the housing 40, the retainer 44 may be released out of the housing 40 if an external force acts on the retainer 44.
The conventional electric connector illustrated in FIGS. 12 to 14 is accompanied with a problem that since the retainer 50 has a complex configuration, a strength of the retainer 50 is lowered as the retainer 50 is down-sized, resulting in that the retainer 50 may be damaged when the retainer 50 is inserted into or pulled out of the housing 60.